Monday, August 17, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1864, the Battle of Gainesville occurred during the Civil War, resulting in a Confederate victory when Capt. John Jackson Dickison's local cavalry defeated Union troops that were occupying downtown Gainesville.

Footprints preserved in concrete at a St. Pete Beach home sent its owner on a heartwarming journey that began in 1953. See today’s Et Cetera section to discover where the trail led.

How does the military decide who's tough enough to become a Navy SEAL? Why does it take a full year to train someone to fly a plane that never leaves the ground? And what exactly happens inside the school that teaches Americans how to survive being captured? The military doesn't advertise most of this, but the answers are out there, buried in Navy attrition reports, Army training records, and firsthand accounts from the people who made it through. Today on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla digs into what that paper trail reveals about how America really forges its warfighters. Tune in here!

Later today, keep an eye out for a message from our partner Blood Pressure Secrets revealing the food they say ranks No. 1 for blood pressure support. Think you can guess it before you see the answer?

Car insurance has become one of those bills that seems to creep higher every renewal, even if nothing about your driving has changed. That's why today's sponsor is Insurify, a free comparison tool that helps drivers quickly see if they're paying more than they need to.

Florida Votes Tuesday: What to Know

Florida holds its primary election on Tuesday, with polls open statewide from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and nominations for governor and U.S. Senate topping the ballot.

Party-registered voters will pick nominees to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and fill the state's special U.S. Senate seat, along with congressional, legislative, and local races. Florida runs closed primaries, though nonpartisan contests are open to all voters.

Mail ballots must reach county elections offices by 7 p.m. Tuesday. A postmark does not count, and polling places cannot accept them.

Dangerous Heat Wave Peaks This Week

Dangerous heat is gripping Northeast Florida to open the week, with heat alerts in effect across the region and afternoon highs pushing toward record territory.

Heat index values are forecast to reach 108 to 112 degrees across nearly the entire region, a level of heat stress considered dangerous for most people, and forecasters expect the heat and humidity to hold for several more days.

Scattered afternoon storms could bring brief relief, but activity will stay too isolated to cool everyone down. Officials urge limiting outdoor time during peak hours, drinking water, and checking on neighbors, children, and pets.

Stadium Revival on Ballot

Miami voters will decide in Tuesday's special election whether to put the shuttered Miami Marine Stadium on a path to restoration through a 40-year management agreement.

Built in 1963 and designed by Hilario Candela, the venue hosted boat races and major concerts before Hurricane Andrew shuttered it in 1992.

Under the proposal, the city would receive 93% of gross event revenue after a $33,333 monthly fee and up to $10 million from operator Global Spectrum. Events would launch first at the adjacent Flex Park, supporting a bond for the restoration project.

The late Jimmy Buffett famously played the stadium, and his daughter says he promised to return and play for free once it was rebuilt.

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➤ Hillsborough County: Florida Highway Patrol troopers arrested 16 people after a street takeover blocked a Brandon commercial lot early on Saturday, with the agency’s aviation unit tracking fleeing drivers. (More)

➤ Broward County: A helicopter carrying an instructor and student crashed and flipped in rough terrain near U.S. 27 and Pembroke Road on Saturday morning, leaving both with minor injuries before responders rescued them. (See Details)

➤ Miami-Dade County: Zoo Miami announced its first successful southern hairy-nosed wombat birth and the nation’s only one this year as the female joey begins emerging from first-time mother Adelaide’s pouch. (See Joey)

➤ St. Lucie County: Operators manually shut down Unit 1 at the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant on Aug. 13 after three control rods dropped into the reactor core at full power. The NRC classified the event as a non-emergency, and Unit 2 was unaffected. (More)

➤ Orange County: Families lined up hours early for Saturday’s back-to-school food drive at Colonial High School after July’s distribution ran out in 45 minutes, with 1 in 7 Central Floridians food insecure. (More)

➤ Fort Myers: Dozens rolled out mats on the Hammond Stadium outfield for "Pilates on the Field," a wellness event pairing a group class with local vendors, a live DJ, and an evening Mighty Mussels game. (See Photos)

➤ Perdido Key: Beach lifeguards ended seasonal coverage after more than 9,000 beachgoer interactions and four water rescues, while county fire-rescue crews remain on call around the clock. (More)

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➤ Miami Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley sent running back Ollie Gordon II a strong message after benching him for an unsportsmanlike penalty in the preseason loss to Washington. (More)

➤ Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand underwent surgery for an unspecified injury and will miss a charity game later this month. The 38-year-old was limited by a lower-body injury last season and is entering his second full season with Florida. (More)

➤ Pensacola native and Pine Forest High School graduate Devon Witherspoon agreed to a four-year, $132 million extension with the Seattle Seahawks, making him the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback. (More)

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➤ The proposed I AM Children’s Museum near downtown Winter Garden is seeking up to $25 million in Orange County tourism taxes after a citizens' task force endorsed the project. (See Details)

➤ Kelly Roofing’s former owner bought the insolvent company’s debt and assets, pledging to finish abandoned Southwest Florida jobs, honor customer contracts, and resolve property liens. (More)

➤ Walt Disney World unveiled its largest expansion slate ever, bringing Villains Land, Cars, Monsters, Inc., Encanto, and Indiana Jones attractions and major updates across all four parks. (See Concept Art)

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➤ A South Florida flight crew returned from Cali, Colombia, after delivering its first batch of rescue-team safety kits aboard a borrowed airplane, with EmbassAir donating fuel and hangar services. (Read Story)

➤ A retired St. Pete Beach fire chief traced footprints preserved in his home’s walkway to an 80-year-old former resident and learned another retired chief once lived there. (See Home)

➤ Bannon Island, a 23.3-acre private estate in Lake Marion near Haines City, accessible only by boat, helicopter, or seaplane, hit the market for $12 million for the first time in 150 years, offering buyers a piece of Florida history. (See Island)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Navy SEAL candidates cover more than 200 miles on roughly four hours of sleep, and most still don't finish. (Hear Toughest Training)

➤ Two million American raccoons have taken over Germany, and the Nazi commander blamed for it didn't do it. (Hear Real Culprit)

➤ Your beach read reveals which of four anxieties is quietly driving you. (Hear Your Type)